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During the French protectorate of Tunisia, the Medina of Tunis conserved its architectural heritage thanks to two major structures. Both the Protectorate’s administration and local institutions referred to different cultural authorities and different conservation practices . Based on documents from the time, this article aims to present first the notions of heritage and conservation according to the various connotations while presenting the organization and the role of the native foundation habus, an institution of Islamic law, that contributed to the preservation of traditional heritage according to its own logic. The second part relates to the process of patrimonialization, which is not without its share of awkwardness and misunderstandings.